Health · Mount Airy

Mount Airy, NC health

Mount Airy differs from North Carolina on 20 of 40 measures. It has fewer binge drinkers (11.8% vs 14.7%) and more adults treating high blood pressure (81.5% vs 76.7%). Where it trails the state: more adults with COPD (12.6% vs 7.1%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Mount Airy

DHealth Grade

TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Mount Airy’s Health Grade: D

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Mount Airy is healthier than 12% of U.S. towns, and than 54% of towns with similar incomes.

DSelf-rated healthDPhysical distressC+Mental distressDObesityDDiabetesC-SmokingDExercise

All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 12%

Less healthyHealthier

North Carolina towns we grade (455)Healthier than 15%

Towns with similar incomes, $30K–$50K (2,357)Healthier than 54%

Better than its income would suggest. Mount Airy is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is D.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Mount Airy could be anywhere from D− to C+.

How the Health Grade works

Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in North Carolina ranking.
Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Mount Airy with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Mount Airy uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.

Report card

How Mount Airy compares with North Carolina

Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Mount Airy adults…

45 of every 100 Mount Airy adults have high blood pressure

North Carolina: 37 in 100 · worse · margin 40.8–49.2%

Bars show Mount Airy; the black tick is North Carolina. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Mount Airy, betterMount Airy, worseToo close to callNorth Carolina

Get no exerciseshare of adults 32.8% Mount Airy
NC 23.8%

Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 32.9% Mount Airy
NC 34.2%

Binge drinkshare of adults 11.8% Mount Airy
NC 14.7%

Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 18% Mount Airy
NC 13.5%

0%10%20%30%40%

Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Mount Airy adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.

Yearly checkup

NC 80%

Dentist visit

NC 64%

Cholesterol check

NC 88%

Colon screening

NC 66%

Mammogram

NC 79%

Taking BP meds

NC 77%

1 in 7

working-age adults has no health insurance

Mount Airy 13.8% · North Carolina 1 in 10 (10.4%)

Mind & connection

How Mount Airy adults are doing

1 in 3Mount Airy adults feel lonely

31.7% · North Carolina 32.5% · too close to call

1 in 4Mount Airy adults have been diagnosed with depression

26.5% · North Carolina 24.2% · too close to call

1 in 5Mount Airy adults lack social or emotional support

21.5% · North Carolina 22.5% · too close to call

1 in 6Mount Airy adults are in frequent mental distress

17.5% · North Carolina 16.5% · too close to call

Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 5

Mount Airy adults worry about having enough food

20.6% · NC 15.2% · worse

1 in 7

Mount Airy adults worry about keeping their housing

13.8% · NC 12.2% · about the same

1 in 10

Mount Airy adults were threatened with a utility shut-off

10% · NC 8.1% · worse

1 in 9

Mount Airy adults lack reliable transportation

10.7% · NC 8.4% · worse

19.7% of Mount Airy adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.

Disability

Living with a disability

43.2%

of Mount Airy adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs23%

Thinking or memory18.2%

Hearing11.9%

Errands alone12.4%

Vision8.7%

Dressing or bathing6.7%

Black tick: North Carolina. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Around Mount Airy

Mount Airy and the towns around it

Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are hospitals and community health centers in and near Mount Airy.

41.3%45%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#2 of 4towns on this map, healthiest first

White Plains41.3%

Mount Airy42%

Flat Rock44.7%

Toast45%

Care in and near Mount Airy

1 hospital and 1 community health center in Mount Airy, plus the nearest outside it. Nearest first.

Northern Regional HospitalMount Airy · 1.4 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Twin County Regional HospitalGalax · 20.5 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Hugh Chatham Memorial HospitalElkin · 21.1 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Lifebrite Community Hospital of StokesDanbury · 22.4 mi · ER · rural critical access Directions Medicare profile

High Country Community Health at Surry Medical MinistriesMount Airy · 1.5 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

Tri-Area Community Health at CanaCana · 8.2 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

! Primary careMount Airy's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Surry County · need score 16 of 25

! Dental careMount Airy's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Surry County · need score 18 of 25

! Mental healthMount Airy's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Surry County · need score 17 of 25

Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes). Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Distances are straight-line from the center of Mount Airy. Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

All 40 measures for Mount Airy

Measure	Mount Airy	Margin	North Carolina
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure	45%	40.8–49.2%	36.8%	worse
High cholesterol	42.1%	37.6–46.6%	35.6%	worse
Obesity	42%	34–49.9%	35.1%	about the same
Arthritis	36.1%	32.6–39.8%	26.9%	worse
Depression	26.5%	22.8–30.5%	24.2%	about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)	20.2%	16.6–23.9%	13.9%	worse
Asthma	11.5%	10.1–13%	10.8%	about the same
Cancer (not skin)	11%	9.9–12.1%	7.9%	worse
Diabetes	16.4%	14.4–18.6%	12%	worse
COPD	12.6%	11.2–14.1%	7.1%	worse
Heart disease	10.7%	9.7–11.8%	6.6%	worse
Stroke	5.8%	5.3–6.3%	3.6%	worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes	18%	15.6–20.6%	13.5%	worse
Binge drink	11.8%	9.6–14.3%	14.7%	better
Get no exercise	32.8%	28.1–37.5%	23.8%	worse
Sleep under 7 hours	32.9%	26.2–39.6%	34.2%	about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup	82%	78.7–84.9%	80%	about the same
Dentist visit	56.8%	52.9–60.3%	63.6%	worse
Cholesterol check	87.3%	85.6–89%	87.5%	about the same
Colon screening	65.7%	60.3–70.6%	65.7%	about the same
Mammogram	74.8%	66.5–81.4%	78.7%	about the same
Taking BP meds	81.5%	78.8–83.8%	76.7%	better
No health insurance	13.8%	11.9–16%	10.4%	worse
Mind & connection
Feel lonely	31.7%	26.8–36.7%	32.5%	about the same
Lack emotional support	21.5%	18.2–24.9%	22.5%	about the same
Frequent mental distress	17.5%	15.5–19.6%	16.5%	about the same
Fair or poor health	27.4%	24.3–30.4%	19%	worse
Frequent physical distress	17.4%	15.4–19.4%	12.7%	worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity	20.6%	18–23.3%	15.2%	worse
Housing insecurity	13.8%	11.9–15.6%	12.2%	about the same
Utility shut-off threat	10%	8.8–11.4%	8.1%	worse
No reliable transportation	10.7%	9.5–12%	8.4%	worse
Receive SNAP	19.7%	17.3–22.4%	12.3%
Disability
Any disability	43.2%	38.6–47.6%	32%
Walking or climbing stairs	23%	20.5–25.6%	14.2%
Thinking or memory	18.2%	16.1–20.2%	14.8%
Hearing	11.9%	10.6–13.3%	7.3%
Vision	8.7%	7.9–9.6%	5.3%
Dressing or bathing	6.7%	6.1–7.4%	4%
Errands alone	12.4%	11.1–13.8%	8.2%

About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Mount Airy door to door.

Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the North Carolina figure falls inside it, we don't call Mount Airy better or worse.

CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Mount Airy directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The North Carolina figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.

Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.